Non-SE-R: GM OHV engines

George Roffe geo3@earthlink.net
Wed, 4 Dec 2002 09:22:23 -0600


jon dossey wrote:

>I'd say about 99% of that is true because large oil companies make it
>true.  When we run out of oil, see how quickly the price drops, and the
>technology begins to develop.  Right now "Big Oil" will do whatever it can
>to stifle such competition in the marketplace.

Oh crimony!  More conspiracy theory.

No.  Big business does not squash methanol.  Nor does Detroit have a secret
100 mpg (or whatever number you like) carburetor that the oil companies
have paid them to keep quiet about (anyone who knows anything about
internal combustion knows that's just plain silly).

You *are* correct that when we run out of oil, the development of mass
production of methanol will pick up and the price will drop.  But, don't
forget that methanol is already being used in racing cars.  The technology
exists.  The marketplace just doesn't care.  Gasoline is cheap and easy, so
that's what the marketplace wants.  When the marketplace can no longer get
cheap gasoline (yes, it really is cheap), then it will demand methanol or
some other substitute.

George Roffe
Houston, TX
http://www.nissport.com